Furman Women Climb To 12th In USTFCCCA National Poll; Paladin Men Move Up To 28th

Sep 25, 2018

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- The Furman women's cross country team climbed one spot to 12th in the week 3 U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) poll, while the Paladin men moved one notch to 28th, according to the national rankings released Tuesday.

The Paladin women, five-time defending Southern Conference Champions, return seven of their top eight competitors from last year's team which finished seventh at the NCAA Championships, including junior Savannah Carnahan, the 2016 SoCon Freshman of the Year, who claimed a spot on the All-SoCon first team after placing third at the league meet last year.

Carnahan is joined by All-SoCon first team selections Gabbi Jennings, who won the individual title at the Eye Opener Meet in the Paladins' season opener, and Grace Dwyer, plus juniors Emma Grace Hurley and Riley Burr who earned All-SoCon second team accolades after recording top-10 finishes at the championships last season. Sophomore Krissy Gear, the 2017 SoCon Freshman of the Year, and junior Jennifer Stephenson, complete the Paladin slate of returnees.

The Furman men, who also have won five-consecutive league titles and claimed the Southeast Region title in 2017, are led by senior Aaron Templeton, the 2017 SoCon Runner of the Year, who returns after winning the SoCon individual title last season. Sophomore Daniel Bernal, the 2017 SoCon Freshman of the Year who took the men's individual Eye Opener title to start the season, also returns, along with 2017 All-SoCon selections Mason Coppi, Ryan Adams, and Jake Ogden. Rookie Cameron Ponder joins the team after posting the nation's top mile time among his graduating class.

The Paladins will compete at the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational in South Bend, Ind., on Friday, September 28.